Page 75

He reached up with those hands that had made her feel things she could never adequately articulate and fastened another button of his shirt. “Glad I could help out.” Then he fastened another.

Before she could dig up a proper response, her cell vibrated in her pocket. She snatched it out, her gaze still boring into his. “What?” she said to the caller without even looking at the screen.

“Vee, it’s Suri.”

The high-pitched, hysterical sound of her voice warned something was not right. “What’s wrong, Suri?”

“Eve is gone. The back door is standing open, and I can’t find her anywhere.”

A burst of uncertainty sent Vera’s heart into a gallop. Where the hell would her sister go? She wouldn’t likely be called to the funeral home in the middle of the night. Wouldn’t leave without telling Suri. Surely today hadn’t caused her to need a drink. Then again, the business in Bent’s office had been pretty stressful for Eve and for Suri.

“Suri.” Vera steadied herself. “Has she been drinking?”

“No!” A keening sound rose from Suri’s throat. “Vee, there was a message on the bathroom mirror.”

Terror blasted through her veins. “Tell me exactly what it said.”

“Eve, you’re next.”

Oh God. It was the Messenger.

“Suri, lock yourself in your bedroom. Slide something in front of the door. We’re on our way.”

29

Khatri ResidenceMorton Drive, Fayetteville, 11:55 p.m.

Bent walked through the house in search of Vee.

He had deputies crawling all over the property and the surrounding area. There weren’t any streetlights along this stretch of county road, and the neighbors were few and far between. The chances of finding anyone who had seen a vehicle or a person in the vicinity of the house at this time of night was next to nil. Since they hadn’t found a vehicle that didn’t belong in the area, either, there was no reason to believe Eve was out there fleeing on foot with some scumbag right on her heels. Whoever had come here had gotten what he came for, and now they were both gone.

But Bent had to be sure ... that her body wasn’t out there somewhere. The thought twisted inside him.

He’d called Conover to the scene, but it would likely be a waste of time. They’d already learned that, like the Messenger, this perp didn’t leave evidence. Still, there was always a first time. Better to be safe than sorry. If there was anything here that would help them figure out what happened to Eve, he intended to find it.

Vera had called Luna, and Bent had sent another deputy to her house. He wasn’t risking that this scumbag wasn’t finished.

He located Vee in the small bathroom. She leaned against the wall opposite the sink, arms folded over her chest and gaze fixed on the mirror. Suri had explained that Eve had gotten angry and swiped the message from the glass. Not that it would matter at this point. They all knew who had left it.

“We’ll find her,” he promised.

“No question,” she responded without looking at him. “I’m not worried about finding her, Bent. I’m worried about what condition she’ll be in when we do.”

The lack of emotion in her voice told him she was in that place—the one an investigator had to reach in order to keep going when the worst of the worst happened to someone they cared about.

“Baker was alive,” he reminded her.

Her eyes widened with realization. “She could be at the house or barn right now.” Her lips trembled. “Or at that fucking cave.”

Bent had already considered that possibility. “I have deputies searching those areas right now.”

She closed her eyes and blew out a breath. “Thank you.”

“I also called Jones.” He hadn’t wanted to for reasons that were purely selfish and out of place. But he’d done it anyway. This was about the job ... this was about Eve. “He’s on his way.”

“I appreciate it.” She shook her head. “I was going to call him, but I came in here, and I just couldn’t do anything but stand here staring.” Her lips tightened. “I have regretted so many times that I didn’t kill that son of a bitch. Eric said I did the right thing. Now I realize the real right thing would have been to follow my instincts.”

Bent moved closer, his gut tangling into knots. “I will find her, Vee.”